Oil trader agrees to toxic dump payout

LONDON - A British oil trading giant has agreed to a multimillion-pound payout to settle a huge damages claim from thousands of Africans who fell ill from tonnes of toxic waste dumped illegally in one of the worst pollution incidents in decades.

Trafigura said it was in talks to reach a "global settlement" to the claim by 30,000 people from Ivory Coast, who brought Britain's largest-ever lawsuit after contaminated sludge from a tanker ship was fly-tipped under cover of darkness in August 2006.

The incident caused at least 100,000 residents from the west African country's most populous city, Abidjan, to flood into hospitals and clinics complaining of breathing difficulties and sickness.

Investigations by the Ivorian authorities suggested that the deaths of at least 10 people were linked to the waste.

Trafigura has always insisted the foul-smelling slurry, dumped without its knowledge by a sub-contractor, could not have caused serious injury or illness.

Under the deal, thousands of Ivorians who suffered short-term illnesses, including vomiting, diarrhoea and breathing difficulties, receive a payout understood to be set at several hundred pounds.

The settlement is likely to be confirmed by the end of this month.

Trafigura, a privately-owned multinational which has 1900 staff working in 42 offices around the world, last year claimed a turnover of US$73 billion ($102 billion).

- INDEPENDENT